The hearing begins at 10 am, but the auditorum is filling fast: the MTA is here with red "Fund our Future" shirts, I've seen a few superintendents come in, Mass Parents United is here with black tee shirts, and staffers from the Senators and Reps are in and out. My view is from the top back:
A lot of DESE finance has come in. Seats filling up pretty quickly. They've opened the second balcony at this point, which is rarely needed.
Rep. Alice Peisch gavelling in
introducing the House members of the committee
Senator Jason Lewis introducing senators of committee
Peisch: will listen to bills related to school finance: list is here
people taken in order, except elected officials, who will be taken out of order
individual testimony limited to three minutes; might have to shorten that over day
if what you'd like to say has already been said, just indicate agreement
have received written testimony from MASC, Worcester School Committee, Lawyers for Civil Rights, several senators, and the AG
number of people who are here indicates importance of issue
"developing a plan to implement all of those recommendations"
"most useful testimony...which needs further analysis...low income"
how do we be sure it will be spent on low income children? what are best interventions?
Lewis cites Mann on Massachusetts education
assumes only here if agree with that
"the voices of all stakeholders in this debate are necessary and are valued"
Baker here with Riley and Peyser
"think we can all agree that the formula needs to reflect current cost realities"
"look forward to a robust debate"
"hope we can put right mechanisms in place"
"we underperform next to our peer states"
1993 ed reform: "can tell you that it would not have happened without shared commitment by all involved"
"The Commonwealth converted the aspirations of the education reform act into reality"
notes Act relative to the Achievement Gap
over last 25 years, the Commonwealth has kept its promise to its communities by funding one of the most progressive funding formulas in the country"
"academically, there is much to be proud of"
"unfortunately has not been shared by all"
urban kids of color "are still behind the suburbs"
no one taught the Governor how to say "NAEP"
significant increases to the highest need communities
"fully implements the recommendations of the foundation budget review commission"
no it doesn't
"fully funded and actionable right now"
$1.1B in current dollars; most significant increase of foundation dollars since the formula was implemented in 1993
plan is very specific about how parts will be implemented
"builds on Group Insurance Commission's" work
expands category for counseling and behavioral health; early college and career pathways
also revise charter school formula "which will also increase the reimbursement in the near term"
$50M DESE fund to be "invested alongside communities"
"is the whole package: it's more money along with reform"
cites Riley's experience in Lawrence
I think he's citing that mess of a report that compared Lawrence to Boston?
think it strikes the right balance
Lewis: "in whole or in part addresses all of the recommendations put forward by the" FBRC
"would increase the foundation budget by $1.1B, but of course the funding of that is shared between our state and our municipalities"
state increase is $500M "$500M is a lot of money"
"estimates from FBRC...what we need is somewhere between $1 and $1B of state aid...in order to truly meet the needs of all our of children"
can he speak to that?
Baker: typically speaking when the state makes a big investment...it comes with new accountability measures
"the locals have a fair amount of flexibility of how it will actually get there"
"what would be the accountability measures that would come with that"
if you ramp up that much funding "then we need to have a whole new conversation about accountability, because then you're making the state THE funding of education"
"in states where the states got very aggressive about their investment"
Rep Williams: a lot of people in Springfield are looking for new accountability
funding doesn't go far enough
"it's pay now or pay later...we're going to have to make more of an investment, and we're going to have to be really aggressive"
Baker immediately jumps to the empowerment zone and how he appreciates that
"think the increase is $17M...that's a pretty significant increase"
NO IT IS NOT
Note: I went back and looked: of the $17.2M increase in Ch. 70, $6M of that is an increase in their economically disadvantaged funding, in part due to their being 253 more kids counted; $2M is an increase in their ELL funding for high school due to the shift in funding towards high school and there being more students there. As with most everyone else, the majority of the funding increase is inflation.
Williams: what is the data suggesting that the Empowerment zone is doing better than the rest of the system
Baker immediately goes back to the system
"teachers...felt ownership of decisions of the school"
Williams: unfunded mandates on transportation
Baker: typically have not done transportation in the Chapter 70 bill
"that and some of the rural school districts ought to be dealt with as well"
Peyser: integrated package of 1993
ensure opportunities available to many of our students are available to all
update to reflect new realities
reviews the bill
on charters "goes back to" former
"concentrates reimbursement on sustained charter school growth...will increase reimbursements in the near term and make the state a more predicable partner"
also districts with 9% charter spending guaranteed reimbursement
proposes a rural schools commission
Commissioner to have new authority on turnaround plans
retain funds in a trust account
"looking to become first for all"
Commissioner Riley: submitted written testimony
1993 grand bargain: resources for return for accountability
"from slightly midperforming to" leading the nation
"but only one for some"
"our scores on the NAEP exam have flatlined and other states are catching up"
need authorities in bill
when we think ahead, "I often think about my children"
"need to use this money to find what's next...not just vessels of information and apply that knowledge"
"investing in our children now will pay dividends down in the future"
Rep. Vargas: all in alignment on a priority
"in year one, $200M?...adjusting for inflation, that's more like $75M"
adjusting for inflation, we'd have to put in $130M
on low income students:reads the recomemndation!
kept arriving at 52% when adding up your numbers, can you walk me through it
Peyser: range, can share numbers with you
Rep. Kelcourse: Amesbury, Triton Regional, struggles of communites otherwise
Peyser: in some of those cases we need to look at other parts of the budget
"how do we balance the interests of different parts of these communities"
Sen. Hinds: special dynamics of some of our districts
"keep an open mind as to how we address this in the formula"
concern with districts with declining enrollment
asks about high needs increment
Peyser: additional funding
$780 additional dollars per pupil Hinds interjects "adjusted for inflation"
Hinds: "let me be blunt: a lot of these numbers...you're taking credit for numbers that would be getting larger over time anyway"
Rep. Tyler: safety?
Peyser: psychological counselors increase over time
Riley: additional funding for safety in supplemental budget
Tyler: really need to follow through
Rep. Williams: $550M is not what the foundation recommended
"the safety net is not cast far enough out"
"takeover schools...I call it 'privatizing' and I'm not interested in privitizing"
Peyser: not proposing any change in that
"proposing things that would actually forstall" receivership
uh huh...
"tools and resources to avoid receivership"
"not to set some arbitrary number...but rather to build the formula from the bottom up"
"is it chiseled in stone? No, it is not." but is a start of a conversation
Williams: "you said that's a starting point"
Riley: at the department we stand ready to help with financial modeling
panel now speaking on early college and innovation pathways, which I'm going to take a second out on
Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Rep. Vega, Rep. Keefe et all speaking on Promise bill
Vega is reviewing the bill
"between these bills, they're 70% the same, but that 30% is where 70% of the money is"
"the low income contains the vast majority" of the funding
"my city suffered from high poverty, high teen pregnancy, and" inadequate state aid
"all this will be lost if" we don't push funding forward
"a real meaningful investment"
"Holyoke could never match this investment on its own"
"the time is now, the opportunity is now"
"our children cannot wait another 25 years for education reform"
Rep. Keefe: "I'm going to speak specifically to Worcester"
highest percent of children who are in poverty
later will hear from others from Worcester, "particular our CFO Brian Allen, who has been working on this for over 30 years"
runs through Worcester's numbers
"in these districts, communities rarely have the local resources to address the funding shortfalls"
"most importantly that we are closing the achievement and opportunity gap for students in our Commonwealth"
"with the funding they were promised 25 years ago"
32nd out of 50 states in what we invest in public education
Chang-Diaz: runs to part of who we are as a Commonwealth
"spend a lot of time patting ourselves on the back" about leading the nation
"we made a radical, sensible promise to every child in the Commonwealth" 25 years ago
foundation formula was inaccurate from the very first day
as affluent districts could plug their holes through local resources
"poor kids are tumbling through the cracks left by those cuts"
26 years after the education reform act, and 239 years (?) after the Constitution commanded us to "cherish" education
"Massachusetts still has one of the worst achievement gaps in the nation"
"money alone won't do it, but we can't do it without money"
"the foundation budget is menat to be an intellecutal
"does anyone honestly believe that children can close the
"there is only proposal bill before the committee" that mclose that bill
"today, we stand at a crossroads"
cannot stand "another generation of planned failure"
implore you to find the courage to "make the right things happen"
119 cosponsors
"give a quick and favorable report to the Promise Act"
Kelcourse: estimate of time and funding
Chang-Diaz: uses as a model what the legislature did in 1993 which took 7 years
"think it's important" that the timeline not be done at the expense of the right goal post
Tyler: what can we do ensure that funding goes to students
Chang-Diaz: bill includes data transparency and tracking piece
"watch what is working and what's not"
"state has a robust accountability system in place" since 2010
Vega: hoping Holyoke has created models to look at
Keefe: think we have to revisit site councils throughout the whole state
Tyler: the gap that we need to fill is the investment directly correlates with student outcomes
Tucker: danger that we're setting up a team of rivals with a focus on one bill
Tucker filed the bill that has missing pieces
Vega cites funding "won't move the needle"
"it's not going to close those gaps that we have"
"we're saying that we've got to do better than the Governor's proposal on that part"
Peisch: substantial funding for some communities that are far in excess of $18K per student
"my concern is that any dollar that goes to any city other than a Gateway city, is a dollar that isn't going to a Gateway city"
Vega: low income students; I look at it as whether you're a poor kid in Boston or a poor kid in Holyoke...
Chang-Diaz: of course we recognize that this is a process; going to take all of the best of all bills
"I think it's also important that we ask ourselves questions about equity"
"we all know that we send plenty of aid to communities that are spending well over" and have plenty of community wealth, and don't serve many low income students
"and if we're going to do that, we can do this"
Patriots are up
Devin McCourty: "therfore we know the Promise Act will make a huge difference in our schools"
2017, NFL formed the Players Coalition
were disappointed that Legislature did not pass reform last year
as Patriots players, we know it is "impossible to achieve great success without resources"
Jason McCourty: districts have been forced to make critical cuts year after year
Massachusetts has one of the worst achievement gaps in the nation
"we must invest in our students and our future"
we can't fund our students as if they are a Little League team and expect them to perform at a Super Bowl level
Duron Harmon "our schools need more resources but those resources should not come in the form of police"
"the easiest way is not always the best way"
Matthew Slater: lend our voices to children, in particular impoverished children of color
"children don't have a choice of what type of an education they receive"
children to receive the same learning experience
"invested in ensuring educational equity for our children"
Tucker: asks if they had a chance to review the other bills
McCourty: yes, and from that we were able to decide what we wanted to get behind
Kelcourse: can you speak to how this would give funding to children who need it most? (I think? I didn't really understand his question)
Harmon: give more resources for our kids to thrive
D McCourty: goes to equality
"playing on a level playing field"
Hinds: have more respect for you for standing up and addressing equality
Williams: met also last year
"you can pay me now or pay me later"
No one ever talks about how much it costs to put someone in prison "and most of them are black and brown"
Mayor Walsh of Boston, Mayor Rivera of Lawrence, Mayor LaChapelle of Easthampton, Mayor Spicer of Framingham
"different conversation today" coming together
"funding education is a partnership"
running through Boston Public students challenges
"any reform must fully implement the recommendations of the foundation budget review commission"
"after accounting for charter school costs"
"certainly welcome the conversation" around funding
Chapter 70 funding "will fall to zero for the city of Boston" in two years
Mayor LaChapelle: "heartened to know that every community in the Commonwealth" is watching today
concerned on how we can move forward as a state
pitting charter schools against public schools
"leaves a gaping fiscal hole in districts like Easthampton"
"this has far exceeded a wants and wishes conversation"
Mayor Spicer: important and appreciated
united with other mayors from across the Commonwealth in importance of education
"we're fighting for our children's future"
"hope for an inclusive solution for the betterment of our children"
Mayor Rivera: support of a bill from Senator Chang-Diaz and Rep Vega
all parts of the foundation budget, "give suburban districts all that was promised them" and pay for it all
"still underfunds education in Lawrence"
"our first graders only have first grade"
Mayor Fiorentini (Haverhill) have a city that's struggling because the largest municipal debt
showing what can be done
Lewis to Walsh: Boston absolutely critical to all of our children througout the region
he then explains how the foundation budget and the municipal wealth formula works to say "hey this is hard" to Walsh
Walsh: complicated question
20% of state revenue comes from Boston
Losing track of what's at stake here "is the children"
larger funding in education
89% of funding spent in education in Boston goes into classroom
"we're paying more than our fair share here"
"I don't think that's a fair partnership"
fully fund "wraparound services and that money never came"
"I'm not here talking about how METCO is taking all our top kids away, about how our charter schools are taking all our top kids away, about how private schools are taking all our top kids away"
Rivera: there's a lot of money in Belmont, but there's not a lot of English learners in Belmont
Lewis: Boston is in a somewhat unique situation
to Q from Tyler Walsh: could make targeted investment back in our schools
"education is becoming too politicized": not about picking sides
Peisch: clarify that you are all not here in support of a particular bill
Walsh: address important issues
want a bill "that lifts all communities from Boston to Belmont"
Peisch: I don't know that we can do that
what are the interventions that Boston is unable to fund?
LaChapelle: proud of our system in Easthampton
every piece of technology in our schools now is six years old
District Attorney Rollins: "a quality education is the most effective crime-prevention tool available"
often the criminal justice system that's left to pick up the pieces
"we can either pay at the front end and invest in education and potential" or pay at the back end
"I do not take this claim lightly"
40% of male population entered prison reading at 4th grade, less than 6th grade level
Knowledge and skills they need to succeed as adults
Promise act will provide those resources
"only the Promise Act incorporates all" of the recommendations of the Foundation Budget Review Commission
Attleboro entering testimony based on their own analysis
Black and Latino Caucus: currently reading the recommendations of the FBRC
"moved and motivated" by movement to action
reform "must benefit all the children of Massachusetts"
"one option is a fast track to more funding"
I don't try to keep up with stats cited
Promise Act makes most action towards this
Tucker bill has faster timeline
MTA panel:
how the state is complict in trauma through underfunding
disparties cannot be met through more testing, change in curriculum, closer relationship with policy
"by choice, by vote, by funding" is the refrain here on how the schools are underfunded
parent of children in schools, early childhood educator
statewide issue
fulfilling commitment to our children
"instead of a visit by a few animals, but they should be able to visit the zoo"
"it's time that the state does its share...we cannot to lose another school year"
"I cannot afford to have my children in high school when these changes are implemented"
Student speaks of being in middle school in North Andover:
"I know what a great school looks like, and it exists ten miles down the road"
now a Boston Public Schools student
"I've seen the best and I've seen the worst and I know we can do better"
"if we go to schools that have nothing, what does that set us up for?"
"today, I'm not here for me, I'm graduating this spring, I'm here for all the children that will come after me"
parent notes that race, socioeconomic status, parents education were privileges that were brought
"but shouldn't all kids have the same opportunity?...they shouldn't expect luck; they should expect eligibility"
Lynn teacher speaking of increase in English Learner population
"parents are constantly asking for additional supports for their English learners, as well as students"
LOOK Act requires staffing, materials, and professional development, plus there is increased accountability
Peisch: are you wedded to any particular bill, or the general recommendations of the foundation budget review commission?
panelists: only the Promise Act addresses all of the pieces
Peisch: keep an open mind about how we get there
panelist: only the Promise Act fully supports the low income students
Tyler notes disparities in educators of color: "if you are unapologetically black or brown" there is a disparity with what is required in supporting children of color
City of Lynn:
Mayor McGee: can't recall any bill which so many mayors supported
"I think we're all here together to ensure our children get the education they deserve"
Lynn teachers' union president, Lynn superintendent also here
$12K/pupil (earlier $18K in Lexington was held up as a standard)
"ask you all to come together and find a solution for this"
"the cities that are really struggling to make ends meet"
Lynn had been $9M in the hole, now $5M in the hole
Shelia O'Neil: our students have less than some of our neighboring communities
two out of eighteen libraries in elementary schools have librarians
loss of funds for after school support
"Ch. 70 funding has not met the need in over 20 years"
Superintendent of Lynn: Commonwealth's 5th largest district
new but know district well
anchored in a moral imperative: "For our students, education is the only means towards equity."
work is "levelling the playing field for historically marginalized groups"
birds eye view of school shows gaps and lacks
"make extremely hard to meet the needs of special education students" in time
must provide later at a cost to the district "to say nothing of the erosion of trust with the students and the families"
"if I tell them to do the best, we must do the best"
Gateway Cities panel:
Worcester, New Bedford, Brockton
Mayor Mitchell of New Bedford: "group of mayors and urban superintendents have taken a long hard look" at if the Commonwealth is fulfilling its requirements under the McDuffy decision
disparities are racial, economic, geographic
"above all, we have to wake up and realize that it is not 1993 anymore"
backstopping social and emotional needs of students as well as educating them
"looking to the Legislature for a level of reliable funding"
focused on students of high need
among unfunded mandates is charter schools; Promise Act deals with that
Mayor Petty of Worcester: two different education systems: one of districts that can fund schools well above what is required and Gateway cities that cannot
"deserve the same chance to succeed"
why not just raise taxes? Municipalities don't have the ability to do so
Gateway cities face difficulties that our surrounding communities never confront
"every day our teachers work to fill the gaps" notes laundry, weekend food, daycares
"getting more to our students who need the most"
Kathleen Smith, Brockton superintendent
"saddened and dismayed after coming before more than a dozen times I am once again asking you to update a funding formula that is broken"
student demographics and needs have changed and updated
equity gap in school funding: decreased services to children
"is this acceptable for a state that claims to be number one in the nation?"
"true leadership requires action before, not after, legal action"
Maureen Binienda, superintendent of Worcester
"not anywhere close" to needs and funding
reviewing demographic differences
"seeing the faces, hearing the voices of my children"
"I trust you with my children...have we lived up to this trust"
Thomas Anderson, New Bedford Superintendent
job is to advocate for needs of students
multiple schools this year have been impacted by aging boilers, faulty pipes
"the challenge to stay current with infrastructure built before 1920"
"we need support in providing safe" learning conditions
Jonathan Kozol Savage Inequalities reference: give every student an equal state in life
student access to courses and Saturday sessions remains a stretch for many
Brian Allen, CFO Worcester
"as much as 15 years overdue"
in just sped and health care, $70M more than foundation budget provides
"We have a saying in Worcester: we know what works by what we cut"
total of $55 million for operations and maintenance, teacher professional development and instructional supplies, equipment and technology in foundation budget in FY17, but district spent $31M or 56%
in fact, Worcester spends less today for staff development, IT, materials, and maintenance, adjusted for inflation than in 2002
on teachers: foundation budget provides 2335 regular ed teachers; district has 1600
widely reported the difference among bills is that of low income students
"to implement successful programs like these, Worcester needs the highest level of funding
"We have a saying in Worcester: we know what works by what we cut"
"Worcester has an excellent track record on implementing successful and sustainable turnaround plans"
Vargas: firm believer that equity hard conversations
are there specific components that are important to you?
Mitchell: funding for the students who have the most catching up to do
Keri Rodriguez, Mass Parents United (which is being billed as "the parents panel")
I was behind on tweeting, but there was a lot there on how will we know where the money goes
Lowell parent: money not enough to fix the problem
"something in the system is broken"
arts, modern technology, resources to keep our children safe
parents of kids in Boston: this bill alone is not going to fix the problems that exist in our schools
disparities in admissions to exam schools
Boston one of the most unequal in the country, using police in schools and excessive suspensions to push them out of the schools attended
parent from Springfield: parents deserve to have our voices heard
"I'm so happy that we are talking about giving schools more funds, which is desperately needed"
now doing test scores
"schools are creating a school to prison pipeline"
Lewis: want to understand better what you're really asking for
more transparency about how those dollars are spent
are you asking the state to put more constraints in on how the money is spent?
parent: we would like to have more say in how the money is spent
"and we would like to give ideas"
"is that something that the state can mandate?" (to 'no, no' from crowd)
though leadership of MPU then says "districts need a menu of options" so that isn't consistent
panel of Boston City Councilors speaking in favor of the Promise Act
Panel of leigslators, speaking in favor of the Promise Act
Lowell has an $18M gap with sped and health insurance
no answer is complete unless it meets the needs of high needs students
"this was Lowell High School when we had that funding"
"when you have programs that make a difference, but you have funding that doesn't take into account these issues, you have failure"
Sen Jehlen: I believe we have consensus that we have been underfunding our schools with the most needs
be specific about the need for resources for students with the most need: 50% to 100%
"if we are serious about closing the achievement gap, it will cost money"
"we need to be sure that what we do this year is adequate and fair"
Sen Comerford: a generational issue
"current funding system shortchanges our schools, but more importantly, it shortchanges our students"
third grader at Warwick School: John said, "My school is really cool and I hope it does not shut down."
Sen Welch: please be cautious about attaching strings to communities that are receiving funding
Rep. Cabral of New Bedford: at least double rate to students who are low income
and also cites some stats around the school district
parents from Stand for Children
"education is not what it was 26 years ago and neither should the funding be"
believe in fully funding the four FBRC recommendations
accountable and transparent system
using these funds to close gaps for our children
reading testimony from a Holyoke parent
"now that her children attend the school, there is no library"
remembers 15 students in her class, and her daughter is in a class with at least 35 students
MTA/BTU panel:
"as educators we know that every student who walks through our doors is precious"
Beth Kontos of Salem: backpacks of food going home, laundry
"we need to cover the cost of our insurance that is going up...have English language learners...we have special education needs...and really poverty is our greatest burden"
students who are poor "are burdened with the most worries"
"need a nurse in every single school, more than one in the bigger ones"
"Massachusetts is a relatively wealthy state" but we're just not seeing the equity
MTA president: "structural racism"
united in our beliefs that our schools have been failed by chronic underfunding
Chicopee teacher: poverty level has drastically increased, number of
"maybe the challenges of our students have increased because the funding hasn't"
Promise Act"is the bill that will actually close the gap"
Steve Tolman AFL CIO: fight of labor has been fight for education
"be bold and be quick"
Foundation Budget Review Commission was in 2015: "students graduating this year have spent their entire high school careers in underfunded schools" and we knew it!
Tyler: % of teachers of color
MTA : testing barriers, college completion, MTELs, hard to be only teacher of color
"challenge for educators of color to stay in the system"
MTA plan then want to engage local association presidents in
use collective bargaining process; have to sit together and say that this is a priority
I don't know who this is speaking what it's like to go to school and not have enough funding
data advisory commission: transparency and accountability don't go in parallel
grants to close opportunity and achievement grants
graduate of Boston Day and Evening speaks of engaging curriculum, support for students outside of class
MASS panel of superintendents
Tom Scott: from MASS
"number one issue for superintendents across the Commonwealth"
"loudly...over the past several years, we're reaching a tipping point"
inadequate in how we've provided support
statewide average of 126% of foundation while nearly half remain near or at foundation
recognize "FBRC Plus"
School finance priority paper
Mary Bourque: FBRC identified that the state failed to meet its moral and legal obligations to our school districts
Like some aspects of all of the bills
Baker: support early college, support 3x
Tucker: like 5 year implementation
currently only Promise Act addresses all of the shortfalls as addressed
need to have the moral courage to do what is right
time to address this structural inequity
"this is a state issue; it is a social issue"
Eric Conti, Burlington
urban will need bulk of additional resources
160 communities spent at or near foundation levels
circuit breaker funding
a per pupil of $150 to start
registering kids in the kindergarten for the class of 2032
Michael Welch, Dedham
changing demographics of his districts: English learners, students generally placed out brought back in
"all of these expenses have been paid for by in-district funding"
new student will be "in excess of $200K a year"
Peisch: as co-chair, I see more than one bill that fully implements the recommendations
"I don't know where this argument is coming from" Turns to Tucker
Mass Municipal Association:
four principles: implementation of the Foundation Budget Review Commission recommendations
"that the fullest of each of the bills" be what is implemented
ending the damage caused with charter school funding; include a provision that is in the Promise Act
"a circuit breaker to protect excess loss of charter schools"
ensure adequate minimum aid, because there is no single perfect formula
"that's why minimum aid is so critical" asks for $100/pupil
Governor's bill would leave 57 communities behind (with minimum $20/ pupil)
Rural schools factor needs to be included, as well
Dante Comparetto, Mary Ann Stewart,
President of the Springfield Education Association to support the Promise Act
our crisis will not be solved with more accountability measures
"we certainly don't need more empowerment zones or innovation zones"
3 out of 11 schools in empowerment zone have made progress
"has not proved to be the accountability miracle that it was touted to be"
"we have never fully funded our schools; I would suggest that is the measure we should try"
only accountability we need is politicians to be accountable for the funding we need
student from Springfield: why do some students in Massachusetts have the resources they need and others don't?
do students in Longmeadow deserve a better education than kids in Springfield?
thinking of her seven month old brother
"I want you to see me a young person will big dreams; don't I deserve to pursue my dreams?"
Comparetto testifying in support of the Promise Act
grew up in poverty and relied on meal in school
homeless
was able to get GED, on to state college
"I recognize that I was one of the lucky ones to get out of street life"
"countless kids in the Worcester Public Schools have had experiences like the ones I had"
"our students are not able to get the kind of education they deserve"
"the Promise Act is the only proposal that will fully fund education"
Mary Ann Stewart: engagement with PTA, site councils, school committee, town meeting, state board of ed
"decisions we make today will have a generational impact on students"
Mass Inc's report on local accountability
strategic drive for school improvement; develop measures of all their own
supporting educators with relevant tools in tangable ways
one study concluded that schools would have to raise their funding by $1000/pupil to provide the support an engaged family brings
Mass Business Alliance director Ed Lambert:
support continuing improvement, students ready for college, career, and citizenship
'93 ed reform was "adequate funding with robust accountability and most importantly, you shouldn't expect one without the other"
largest achievement gaps in the country
"increase in funding alone won't improve results"
closing the achievement gaps is the urgent priority
"goes directly to the schools that need it most"
"new money must lead to improved results"
"graduation rates alone have not told the story" of how unprepared students are for life after education
innovation fund of $100M proposed
21st century economic success what needs to be aimed for
another: see the demands of the Massachusetts workforce, see too many students coming into the economy unprepared
"creating tremendous opportunity for employers and employees"
"measuring outcomes and making sure that information is available"
list of data needs and commission recurring
"with these funding bills, we have another opportunity to lead; let's not miss it"
Chair of MBEA ran health care company and started two charter schools
"stand ready here today to do more today"
"funding and reform must go hand and hand"
opportunities for college, career, and citizenship
Boston Leaders for Education: concerned about the low quality of too many of our urban schools
"I have a unique perspective on these issues"
"the schools are not keeping up"
"foundation budget clearly needs to be adjusted...however, as a business person, I believe that more money alone" will not solve
"more autonomy" for parents
Mass Charter Schools
"strongly support updating the foundation budget"
charters serving larger numbers of kids with special needs
here to endorse proposals that deal with inequities in the formula
particularly detrimental effect on urban and rural systems
districts also seeking more dependable charter reimbursement
Springfield charter: Gateway schools struggle with serving students who are high need and low income
struggle to give even the basics
"when our districts are underfunded, so are we"
Four Rivers charter: rural schools just due to challenges of geography
fewer industry and job opportunities, leading to low enrollment
faced with enrollment numbers that have steadily declined over the years, but costs have continued to rise
agree with Hinds on increasing funding for regionalization and for a rural factor
"we are collaborators, partners, and innovators"
students: senior at BLS
doesn't have enough funding to hire enough teachers,
"in an exam school, I can't even imagine what other
"how many times do we have to walk out of a place to protest getting
"why do students have to fight for a system
"If I wrote a paper four years ago, and never turned it in, I failed that assignment."
president of Everett High senior class
"investment that will support our future teachers and our lives"
"we as students should not have to worry about the things we do every day"
senior class has two guidance officers with five hundred students
"for many of us, we'll be the first ones in our families to go to college, and we need some guidance"
"this will also help my little brother Adam...I stand with Adam and all the students that will come" after him
"please don't complain about the younger generation if you fail to invest in them"
student at Chelsea High's submitted testimony
working on getting college credits
became homeless in 2016
want you to understand impact on low income students and students of color
father of second grader from Framingham: moved to send her to the dual language program
"when I think of my daughter and her little friends, I wonder" about the gaps between the resources
"I want my daughter to enjoy the benefits of studying with students with a diverse background...but I worry that many of my daughters will not do as well as her because their school is not properly funded"
endorse the Promise Act
DFER: "and our mission compels us to support the FBRC recommendations"
mechanism to solve the Boston problem sends millions to districts
"we know state" intervention works
"We think DESE should do more"
lots here about Lawrence
second testimony seems to involve a whole lot about Obama for America and what schools can do
"unfortunately, we have seen time and time again that unmonitored infusions of cash do not help kids"
this is not true
Lisa Guisbond of Citizens for Public Schools
urges a prompt and favorable recommendation out of committee
consequences of state disinvestment: costs have increasingly shifted from state to local communities
"when the state backs off its responsibility, it exacerbates the inequities among communities"
FBRC did the research and concluded that the schools need $1B to $2B of funding
Ruth Rodriguez, CPS board member
Latino students are expelled and suspended at higher rates than others
there's a lot here about MCAS
state that funding used for testing should go to education
MSAA: school administrators association
equal access to all young people in education
"still exists a great deal of inequality of opportunity among young people in the Commonwealth"
supports any and all efforts to reform the funding system
"in particular the Promise Act calls for all five recommendations"
principals are interested in equity and opportunity throughout the state
work cannot be done without revised foundation formula
"we cannot forget about the thousands of students...in our rural school districts with unique funding needs"
Interfaith: ask you to fully fund the recommendations
not only unjust, it is immoral
"we must act to fight this injustice"
hurting the impacts on Sharon and the rest of the state
leads to a more informed state in an educated society
Nerissa Wallen, chair of the Triton Regional School Committee
213 districts in hold harmless in 2019
"the idea is, as enrollment drops, the costs drop"
"it takes a lot of cummulative loss before" one can make a cut
"costs are rising"
"the realities of what they're seeing is not reflected in the foundation budget"
"I would say that the actual foundation budget is broken"
cuts at the district level, cuts at the town level
town has been "terrific" about taking on more and more of the burden
Educators for Excellence Boston (testimony of teachers being read)
chronic underfunding has left behind generations of students
"it takes a whole team of professionals" for students
"urge you to pass the Promise Act"
from Salem: year after year, DESE is eroding parent rights
gives power to one individual
"where is the voice of the people? where is the voice of parents and teachers?"
people voted against charter schools
"we need to restore local control over public education"
submits a pile of documents along with a PDF with two appendices
parent from Roxbury
child with mental health needs: he dreads going to school
"how is that one of the highest ranks states in educational achievement has failed to guaranteed quality education to all of your children?"
"you're allow our schools to fail my sons"
"stop punishing every child who didn't ask to be born in a low income area"
"it is disgusting how disadvantaged inner city children are; why? Because they aren't in your budget"
President of Malden teachers union
once in a generation chance: Promise act is the only bill that fulfills every single one of the recommendations
foundation budget "was established in 1993 when I was twelve years old"
"bottom line is our students deserve more than they are getting"
I see "students who deserve more and get less just because their zip code 02148"
"our students need fully funded schools; our students deserve fully funded schools"
President of Dennis-Yarmount teachers union
"because I am a teacher, I am an optimist; hope is in our DNA"
"it's getting hard to hope"
struggle to provide services in our district
"each year our superintendent shares a level service budget" and this year it was 6 1/2%
"I know that we can do more than aspire and envision"
"our cities and towns cannot do it alone..."
North Brookfield: rural towns and rural districts
his wife teaches in a district east of 495
"come here to advocate for the Promise act and to advocate for increase funding for rural schools across the state"
"districts such as our own with a limited tax base"
needs"this includes small rural districts as well as large urban districts"
panel of social emotional behavioral health
"here to support the Promise act and I'd ask you recognize the great need for change"
"when kids don't get appropriate education, they get frustrated"
"sometimes there are families that cannot provide for basic needs"
students often shut down "kids often know what they don't know"
sometimes kids will have years of struggle
"we have children of addicted parents"
"we are failing our students big time, and shame on us"
"think of what would happen for one moment if we gave kids what they need"
"we have a lot to gain by fully funding our schools"
testimony submitted on behalf of a senior at New Mission High
support the Promise Act and I hope this committee does, too
"that lone wolf mentality stayed with me" from middle school
"despite the lack of resources, there are adults that care about me"
visited another high school last year
"why do we have enough money for cops, but not enough funding for guidance counselors" and other such needs?
"funding is about ending the school to prison pipeline" and meeting student needs
"it is time to pass the Promise Act and fund our futures"
another: "we need fully funded public schools" and cannot wait
don't put bills together, just pass the Promise act
submitted testimony: "I along with many other parents in Massachusetts urge you to please support the Promise Act"
teacher: I remember my first day vividly: I don't remember what I taught, but remember things about students
"their back stories tell the true stories"
"was I equiped to help these kids? Was anyone?"
"almost impossible to fathom...that our needs are much greater now with 500 fewer students"
school populations are changing daily
"simply put the kids are suffering"
"their lives, our schools, and everyone's futures depends on it"
and the hearing is now closed.
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